Family Portrait (song)

"Family Portrait"
Single by Pink
from the album Missundaztood
Released	December 17, 2002
Format	CD single 7" single
Length	4:58
Label	Arista
Writer(s)	Pink Scott Storch
Producer(s)	Scott Storch
Certification	Gold (ARIA, RIAA)
Pink singles chronology
"Just Like a Pill" (2002) "Family Portrait" (2002) "Feel Good Time" (2003) Audio sample file info · help Music video "Family Portrait" on YouTube

"Family Portrait" is a song written and composed by Pink and Scott Storch for Pink's second album Missundaztood (2001). The song is about relationships and her family that was about to fall to pieces, portraying the conflict through the eyes of her as a child. It was released as the album's fourth and final single in December 2002. It peaked in the top 20 in both the U.K. and U.S.

Background

"Family Portrait" is composed in the key of C minor. It is written in common time and moves at a moderate 88 beats per minute. The song is divided into four-measure phrases with an i-iv-III-ii-V chord progression.^[1]

Pink told Q magazine that the song got her into trouble with her mother. The singer commented: "She went to the National Enquirer. We laugh about it now, but it wasn't the best way to address family problems."^[2]

Critical reception

The single received mostly positive reviews from the critics. Paul Matthew from UKMIX gave the song 4 out of 5 stars, saying that it is strong, catchy and different from anything she had released to date.^[3] Dr. Bruce L. Thiessen praised the song's stripped down nature, stating that 'Pink has never been afraid to show her true colors. The haunting, yet urgently importuning nature of the music matches and magnifies the meaning. The intensity of every earnest guitar strum and run echoes the sense of longing for familial harmony expressed in the chorus. Pink's voice on “Family Portrait” further reflects the urgency underlying the song.'^[4] Malaimport from StudyMode.com gave Pink the credit for the song in his article, 'Pink positioned the audience to understand and accept her representations of pain and frustration was clear through the uses language choices and imagery devices such as repetition and use of strong and forceful words.' ^[5]

Cultural impact

According to Pink's father, James Moore Jr., during an E! Entertainment's E! True Hollywood Story, this song has been unofficially named the national anthem for young kids who have been through the harsh effects of divorce of their parents: "I have got letters from parents thanking us from this song." The song, which she wrote and composed in collaboration with Scott Storch, was still going strong as of late April 2012, with millions of hits on YouTube and millions of albums sold from Missundaztood. "It took me a while to listen to 'Family Portrait' without getting emotional," Pink's mother told E! True Hollywood Story. Although the song addresses how Pink struggled through her parents's divorce, it is also addressed to kids, to encourage them to talk with their parents about how they feel about their divorce.

Track listings

UK CD single[6] "Family Portrait" (Radio Edit) - 3:50 "Family Portrait" (Album Version) - 4:56 "My Vietnam" (Live At La Scala) - 5:19 "Family Portrait" (Video) - 3:50 European CD single[7] "Family Portrait" (Radio Edit) - 3:50 "Family Portrait" (Album Version) - 4:56 Cassette "Family Portrait" (Radio Edit) - 3:50 "My Vietnam" (Live At La Scala) - 5:19

Australian CD single[8] "Family Portrait" (Radio Edit) - 3:49 "Just Like a Pill" (Jacknife Lee Mix) - 3:46 "Just Like a Pill" (Karaoke Version) - 3:52 American DVD single[9] "Family Portrait" (Music Video) - 3:50 "Don't Let Me Get Me" (Music Video) - 3:30 "Numb" (Live at La Scala, London) (Audio) - 5:03 "Family Portrait" (Live at La Scala, London) (Audio) - 4:18

Charts and certifications

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2002-03) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[10] 11 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[11] 11 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[12] 8 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[13] 19 Denmark (Tracklisten)[14] 11 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[15] 12 France (SNEP)[16] 23 Germany (Official German Charts)[17] 8 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[18] 9 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[19] 5 Norway (VG-lista)[20] 6 Poland (Polish Airplay Charts)[21] 6 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[22] 5 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[23] 18 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[24] 11 US Billboard Hot 100[25] 18 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[26] 5

Year-end charts Chart (2003) Position Australian Singles Chart[27] 57 Austrian Singles Chart[28] 72 Belgian Singles Chart (Flanders)[29] 72 Belgian Singles Chart (Wallonia)[30] 88 Dutch Singles Chart[31] 73 French Singles Chart[32] 98 German Singles Chart[33] 72 Swedish Singles Chart[34] 34 Certifications Region Certification Certified units/Sales Australia (ARIA)[35] Gold 35,000^^ ^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

Release history

Continent/Country	Date	Label
North America[36]	December 17, 2002	Arista

References

1. Sheet music for "Family Portrait." EMI Music Publishing. 2001.
2. Family Portrait Songfacts
3. "UKMIX - Reviews - Pink - Family Portrait".
4. "P!nk- a Feature of The Phantom Tollbooth".
5. "Analytical piece – Family Portrait".
6. "P!NK - Family Portrait (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
7. "P!NK - Family Portrait (CD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
8. "Images for P!NK - Family Portrait". Discogs.com. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
9. "P!NK - Family Portrait (DVD) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
10. "Australian-charts.com – Pink – Family Portrait". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
11. "Austriancharts.at – Pink – Family Portrait" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
12. "Ultratop.be – Pink – Family Portrait" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
13. "Ultratop.be – Pink – Family Portrait" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
14. "Danishcharts.com – Pink – Family Portrait". Tracklisten. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
15. "Pink: Family Portrait" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
16. "Lescharts.com – Pink – Family Portrait" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
17. "Musicline.de – Pink Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
18. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Pink search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
19. "Charts.org.nz – Pink – Family Portrait". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
20. "Norwegiancharts.com – Pink – Family Portrait". VG-lista. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
21. "Polish Airplay Charts - Lista krajowa 16/2003". PiF PaF Production. Archived from the original on October 20, 2007. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
22. "Swedishcharts.com – Pink – Family Portrait". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
23. "Swisscharts.com – Pink – Family Portrait". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
24. "Archive Chart: 2002-06-06" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
25. "Pink – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Pink.
26. "Pink – Chart history" Billboard Pop Songs for Pink.
27. "ARIA Charts - End of Year Charts - Top 100 Singles 2003". Aria.com.au. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
28. Steffen Hung (December 28, 2003). "Jahreshitparade 2003". austriancharts.at. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
29. "Ultratop Belgian Charts". ultratop.be. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
30. "Ultratop Belgian Charts". ultratop.be. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
31. Steffen Hung. "Dutch charts portal". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
32. Archived January 7, 2014, at the Wayback Machine.
33. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
34. "www.sverigetopplistan.se - Ĺrslista Singlar - Ĺr 2003". Hitlistan.se. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
35. "ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2003 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 2001. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
36. P!nk (December 17, 2002). "Family Portrait: Music". Amazon.com. Retrieved August 25, 2014.

External links

• Official "Family Portrait" music video on YouTube